1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus, a method, and a computer program for processing information. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus, a method, and a computer program for recording or reproducing data using management information corresponding to recording information on a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Management information of a recording data file, such as a file allocation table (FAT), is applied when information recording is performed on a hard disk in a digital video camera or other information processing apparatuses.
The FATs include FAT 16, FAT 32, etc. These file systems manage recording position information, recording position chain information, etc. for a data file to be recorded on an information recording medium.
For example, each file to be recorded on the information recording medium contains file management information (directory entry) such as a file name, recording date and time, etc. The file management information (directory entry) contains access information (leading cluster number) of real data of a file or a directory recorded on the information recording medium. When the data is read from the information recording medium, an information processing apparatus first reads the file management information (directory entry) from the recording medium, thereby obtaining information required for accessing.
If the file management information cannot be read due to a sector destruction on a hard disk, the information processing apparatus cannot read the real data corresponding to a file or a directory having access information thereof contained in the file management information rendered unreadable.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-006017 discloses a step applied to the event of an reading error of management information. In accordance with the disclosed technique, data is recorded on a recording medium in accordance with a layered file system. Management information managing the layered structure of the file system is recorded on a particular area on the recording medium and information indicating the recording location of real data is recorded in a dual fashion as master information and backup information. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-050073 discloses another technique. In accordance with the technique, file information containing recording position information of leading data of a file is recorded in a different area of a recording device when the file recorded on the device is updated. The master file information is thus restored.
In each of the two disclosed techniques, a plurality of the management information is recorded so that another management information may be used even when one of the management information cannot be read. The recording area of the backup data of the management information is set up in a predetermined area of the recording medium. In accordance with the disclosed techniques, however, no particular recording conditions are provided in the recording of the backup data. The content of the data is diverse. If a variety of data is recorded under a diversity of conditions, it is difficult to back up and use the management information in an effective manner.